IFR Departure Procedures

[Bil Derberg]

Fairly new IFR pilot here. For some reason this departure procedure doesn't seem to make sense to me.

For the CYXS5 departure that's attached, for RWY 06 it says "climb heading 063" which is runway heading. But when you look at the notes on the airport chart, its giving me an inbound radial to the VOR, then further instructions.

Also, for runways 06,15,33,24 it says "SPEC VIS" and to "climb visual over airport to 4100 BPOC".
This is conflicting information to me.
I am completely lost on which instructions I am supposed to follow.

Can someone please clarify this for me. Thanks.

[ahramin]

Those are 3 different departure procedures. I’m guessing by “fairly new IFR pilot” you mean you are an instrument student. Your groundschool and flight instructors will cover ½ mile departures, spec vis departures, vector SIDs, and nav SIDs.

The Prince George 5 departure is a vector SID departure. You would only fly that departure if your IFR clearance is for that departure and you would follow the procedure on the CYXS5 charts, not the aerodrome chart. Otherwise you would fly the departure procedure on the aerodrome chart, unless you cannot make the climb gradient in which case you would fly the spec vis departure (weather permitting).

[Bil Derberg]

Those are 3 different departure procedures. I’m guessing by “fairly new IFR pilot” you mean you are an instrument student. Your groundschool and flight instructors will cover ½ mile departures, spec vis departures, vector SIDs, and nav SIDs.

The Prince George 5 departure is a vector SID departure. You would only fly that departure if your IFR clearance is for that departure and you would follow the procedure on the CYXS5 charts, not the aerodrome chart. Otherwise you would fly the departure procedure on the aerodrome chart, unless you cannot make the climb gradient in which case you would fly the spec vis departure (weather permitting).

So you would only fly the "Departure Procedure" thats in the airport chart if youre goin VFR?

[Blowin' In The Wind]

These are both IFR departures. As said, the Spec Vis would be flown if you could not conform to the performance requirements for the departure procedure listed first. Neither are VFR procedures.

A VFR departure procedure may be listed in the CFS, and/or a VTA which would depict the preferred VFR routes and associated call-up points.

[McKinley]

Good post.

* = specific departure procedure

Spec Vis: if you cannot meet the climb gradient of the XS5 or the specific departure procedure or you want to use runway 24 IFR then you’ll need the Spec Vis. ( there’s rising terrain pretty close off the end of that runway I believe necessitating a visual climb under IFR. For the spec vis you’ll need a certain ceiling AGL and you’ll need a certain level of visibility which will depend on your aircraft category. ( A,B,C,D)

CYXS5 - ( previously discussed)

[ahramin]

So you would only fly the "Departure Procedure" thats in the airport chart if youre goin VFR?

No, you would not fly it VFR. When IFR, you fly the departure procedure in the aerodrome chart unless your clearance specifies a SID. If your clearance is for a SID, then you fly the SID.

"ATC clears GABC to the Vancouver airport via the Prince George 5 departure, flight plan route, squawk 1234" = Fly the Prince George 5 departure.

"ATC clears GABC to the Vancouver airport via flight plan route, squawk 1234" = Fly the 1/2 mile or Spec Vis departure as appropriate (aircraft performance and weather).

[Bil Derberg]

Good post.

* = specific departure procedure

Spec Vis: if you cannot meet the climb gradient of the XS5 or the specific departure procedure or you want to use runway 24 IFR then you’ll need the Spec Vis. ( there’s rising terrain pretty close off the end of that runway I believe necessitating a visual climb under IFR. For the spec vis you’ll need a certain ceiling AGL and you’ll need a certain level of visibility which will depend on your aircraft category. ( A,B,C,D)

CYXS5 - ( previously discussed)

Its definitely a bit more clearer to me now. But why does 1 chart for RWY 06 say "CMB 063", but on the other one gives the procedures to the YXS VOR? Which one should I use, this is the part thats confusing me.

[ahramin]

Its definitely a bit more clearer to me now. But why does 1 chart for RWY 06 say "CMB 063", but on the other one gives the procedures to the YXS VOR? Which one should I use, this is the part thats confusing me.

The one you are cleared for.

[anofly]

So you did see the note that said "or"
so "simon says do this, or that as per departure procedures " OR climb visual over airport to 4100 BPOC

[rookiepilot]

"A Spec Vis departure is a visual maneuver, which positions the aircraft in a climb over the airport to a point where it can safely enter IFR conditions and continue to climb IFR at 200'/nm to the MEA." -- Source Nav canada.

It's an IFR procedure....but with a visual departure. Not to be confused with a VFR departure, (which) of course you would be not authorized to enter IMC conditions at all, and responsible for your own terrain clearance

[Canoehead]

Those two departures ("Departure Procedure" and CYXS5) have different requirements regarding radar; one requires it, the other doesn't.

Practically speaking, you would probably always file the SID as a part of your flight plan. However, you may note one day that during your flight planning that the radar in the CYXS area is NOTAMed as unserviceable. You would not be able to file/use the CYXS5 SID and would have to plan on using one of the Departure Procedures listed.